Iowa restaurant owners worried about tariffs

WEST DES MOINES, Iowa (KCCI) - People in the restaurant industry are sharing concerns about how tariffs could impact them.

Restaurants like Prime and Providence in West Des Moines relies on foreign ingredients for their dishes.

Dominic Iannarelli, the owner and chef of Prime and Providence, said the tariffs could make Japanese beef prohibitively expensive.

“Could, in turn, almost price it out of the market,” Iannarelli said.

Iannarelli said it may take eight to 10 weeks before the tariff impact reaches his restaurant.

Jessica Dunker, the CEO of the Iowa Restaurant Association, says the tariffs cause a lot of uncertainty and put restaurants in a tough spot.

“When you look at tariffs, perishable goods are the places you are going to see tariffs impact the fastest,” Dunker said. “We have to weigh heavily, how are we going to balance what we’re offering what we’re able to produce and how tariffs will impact what we continue to offer.”

Dunker added that uncertain consumer confidence, and decreased foot traffic, are also affecting the restaurant industry.